This year’s Camden Fringe sees a reimagined version of the opera Hansel & Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck.
Described as “a delicious operatic treat – set to a sumptuously rich score, sprinkled with comedy, adventure, and more tunes than you can shake a candy cane at, this show follows the classic story by the Brothers Grimm and features all the familiar characters but with a few surprises!”
Producer Laura Curry tells us more about putting on this very accessible opera.
Where: Upstairs At The Gatehouse
When: 22-25 Aug
Ticket link: https://camdenfringe.com/events/hansel-gretel/
What are you looking forward to the most at Camden Fringe?
We are most looking forward to meeting the audience again! The CF brings such an amazingly receptive audience, and we love performing for all ages and backgrounds!
You’ve set Hansel & Gretel in the 1950s for your latest opera – tell me more!
This year, our show is set in 1950s America, as we wanted to explore the themes of desire versus reality.
The children are so desperate to escape their home, but should be careful what they wish for!
The costumes are all designed to be a little sickly sweet and stereotypical in order to highlight what we try to present to the world and our hidden lives…
Opera Kipling has been around since 2019. What have been the biggest highlights?
It would be hard to choose one, but being able to bring British Sign Language into our production of La Cenerentola (2023) was so amazing.
Our team did an excellent job of signing and singing and the feedback from both hearing and non-hearing members of the audience was incredibly moving.
We always aim to make our shows as accessible as possible, and it never gets old to hear how we reach people through our art.
You are playing Upstairs at the Gatehouse. Has this been an inspiring place to develop the show?
Upstairs at the Gatehouse have been the most fantastic venue for us!
It used to have regular Opera productions, and so there is a wonderful local audience who are so supportive of us, and we’re really keen to continue bringing accessible Opera to the area.
The staff at Upstairs at the Gatehouse have been nothing but kind, patient, and supportive, and we hope we can continue this fab relationship in the future!
What’s next after Camden?
We are delighted to be returning to Theatre Basse Passiere in France, where we will be performing this show again, but with French surtitles!
After that, we’ve got our eye on a German theatre, but watch this space!